1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lighting devices and, more particularly, to a reading light constructed in a manner to permit easy manual replacement of burnt-out lamps while at the same time being tamper resistant.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
It is known to provide passenger reading lights in aircraft, buses, trains and the like, which permit individual passengers to direct a reading light onto a book or other subject to be illuminated.
In conventional lighting devices of this type, it is common to permit the replacement of a burnt-out bulb by providing structure that may be withdrawn from the lamp housing, exposing the bulb for manual removal from the device. Typically, a tool is required to unfasten the removable structure from the lamp housing so that passengers will not tamper with the device. However, such constructions are also difficult for trained maintenance personnel to manipulate, and known constructions commonly require direct or close manual contact with the lamp during a replacement operation, resulting in a high risk of burns to the person carrying out replacement of a lamp.
It is also known to provide a construction including a lamp support assembly that is retained in a ball-shaped housing through the cooperation of detents on the support assembly which engage a stepped region of the housing. In this device, removal of the support assembly is carried out by manually pulling on the assembly until the force of the detents is overcome and the assembly pulls free of the housing. One problem encountered with this type of construction resides in the difficulty with which the assembly is pulled from the housing. Typically, in order to reduce tampering with the device, the detents are formed with very little flexibility so that a relatively strong force must be exerted on the assembly to pull it free from the housing, thus complicating in-travel replacement of a lamp.